Fragmented
by B of Ericaland
Summary: AU. War has been raging across the realm ever since Princess Emma's disappearance. Will her return to her home world be able to stop a hatred that started before she was born? Now rated M
1. Carmen

DISCLAIMER:: do not own

A/N:: inspired by the songs _paradise_ and _princess of china_ by coldplay. just a random idea i had and decided to write while i was supposed to be writing a paper for american lit class. i am quite the slacker now that i am shipping swanqueen... but i happily do not care. enjoy and review. let me know if you're interested enough for me to continue.

SWAN QUEEN SWAN QUEEN SWAN QUEEN

**-28 Years Ago (in measure of human years), The Border Village of Pike, Enchanted Forest-**

The pub's patrons seemed to sense the woman's presence the second she crossed the threshold of the doorway. She wasn't welcome here, that's what their silence told her, but she had little care for the concerns of the common folk. She was tired and she'd managed to shake loose from the men pursuing her. If she was lucky, she'd have enough time to grab a drink and maybe dinner before she set out after dusk.

She walked to a table near the back, empty, and sat down. A barmaid came over and took her order, eyeing the hood she wore that covered her face from view. Long red hair was visible from where it spilled out the hood, confirming the strange patron was most certainly female, if the obvious curves didn't give it away.

She remained tense as she felt everyone's eyes scrutinizing her. She was a novelty here, something new and mysterious. If she was being truthful, before the disappearances, she wouldn't have been caught in a hovel like this. She was amongst thieves, bounty hunters, and other less savory criminals. But she had bigger things to fear than them now.

The barmaid returned promptly and set down her order. She sipped at the water thirstily, not sure when she'd have the opportunity to refresh herself again. They would pick up on her trail soon enough, just as they had with the others. No one had escaped them yet and she wasn't fool enough to think she'd be any different. It was only a matter of time. But while she still had her freedom available to her, she was going to do everything in her power to get the word to Snow White, to warn her of the impending doom that threatened to consume them all.

She knew going to the new Queen directly was suicide. They knew that would be where she'd head; it was the only logical option left available to her. So, instead, she was doing something illogical. She was trusting a stranger. And not just any stranger, but one very close to the heart of the problem, so to speak.

He slid onto the bench across from her. Unlike when she had entered, no one spared his arrival a second glance. He obviously frequented places like this, doing his mistress' dirty work. That, and he was somehow much more adept at flying under the radar.

"You have a service you'd like me to perform?"

The hooded female nodded. "I'd like you to get a message to the fairest of them all."

The man frowned. "That is no easy task. Bounty hunters prowl her lands."

"I would do it myself if the danger weren't high."

He could hear the desperation in her voice. "I'll do what I can, but I make no promises."

She slid a blue velvet satchel across the table towards him. "Give her this. She'll know what it means."

He opened it and looked down at the lone object hidden in the bag. "Is this what I think it is?"

The woman nodded. "I once swore to myself it would never leave my possession, but I fear it is safer now in your hands, tainted as they may be, than it will be in mine." She looked down at her untouched food and was suddenly not hungry. They'd caught her trail; she could sense it. She stood and tossed a few coins on the table to cover her meal.

"There's a back door down that corridor, to the right of the bar."

She nodded gratefully to him. "Thank you." She darted down the corridor in question, racing for the door at the end of the long hallway. She pushed through it and was confronted with a dozen swords pointed towards her heart.

"We've been expecting you." The black clad queen stepped between the group of her hostile henchmen, with a predatory smile.

And the young woman realized, too late, that she had made a mistake in trusting the Huntsman after all. A mistake that would cost her life.

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**-10 Years Ago, Phoenix, Arizona-**

"Come _on_ Emma." Carmen grabbed her best friend's hand and dragged her through the carnival toward the tent. It was set away from the rest of the crowd, isolating itself in a far corner, just beyond the reach of the bright lights and swarming crowds of the main thoroughfare.

"I'm really not into this. Isn't this like… something you do when you're fourteen?" Emma tried to wrench her hand from Carmen's grasp to no avail.

Carmen rolled her eyes. "It's fun. Loosen up a little. You've been so tense ever since…" She looked at Emma apologetically. They were both painfully aware of the slip her friend had almost made.

She never spoke of him. No one in her life did. Not that there were many people in her life.

Emma squared her shoulders. "Fine. I'll do it. But the second she throws out some bogus bullshit about my past, trying to bait me, I'm out of there, got it?"

Carmen nodded. "Fine." She lifted the curtain of the tent and pushed Emma into the dim space within in front of her.

Emma looked around the small cramped space. It was very typical of the carnival fortune teller tents you see in the movies. Small, round table the most prominent piece of furniture, a deck of tarot cards stacked in a neat pile in the center, dim lighting and the thick smell of some type of incense or oil in the air. It was warmer in the tent than it had been outside, a pretty big feat considering this was Arizona. The only thing missing was a crystal ball.

"What can I do for you ladies?" A woman appeared as if from nowhere. She was dressed the traditional getup of flowy fabrics in pinks and purples. But, she talked with no fake accent and Emma could tell she wasn't fond of the pomp and circumstance her job required of her. She had an air of 'hey, a girl's gotta make a living', for which Emma immediately respected her. Maybe this would prove to be fruitful after all. She was young, maybe in her mid to late twenties, with long dark hair and bright green eyes.

"It's my best friend's birthday today. I'd like to get her fortune read."

The young woman eyed the locket around Emma's neck with an intense gaze, causing Emma to grasp at it protectively. Once the woman realized Emma had noticed her scrutiny she smiled and gestured to the seat nearest Emma at the round table. Emma took it and the woman sat across from her. She stared at Emma, her bright green eyes boring into her. "What would you like to know?"

Emma pondered the question. In truth, there were numerous things she'd like to know. Where had she come from? Why had her parents given her up? Why had he… Where was her life heading? Would she find her family? Would she fall in love? Would she ever truly belong? There were a million questions she wanted answered, but how to pick just one?

"Do things… get better?" Emma stared at the woman, unsure where her sudden burst of vulnerability came from. She didn't know this woman… of course, maybe that was the point.

The woman held out her hands.

Slowly Emma reached forward and cautiously placed her own hands into the woman's.

Instantly, she tensed and her eyes snapped closed. Emma tried to pull her hands away, scared by the older woman's reaction, but she held tight to Emma's hands. Finally she opened her eyes and stared at Emma, causing the blonde to freeze. In the older woman's eyes there was… knowledge.

"You are special Emma."

"How do you know my name?" Emma glanced over her shoulder at Carmen, but her best friend looked, if it was possible, more surprised than she did.

"Your future is yet undecided."

Emma looked at the fortune teller, once again skeptical. That vague shit was exactly what she had anticipated.

"Ten years from tonight, on your twenty eighth birthday, you will make a wish that will affect the course of your life. Until then, you are a marked woman, cursed, unable to ever make attachments. This curse has been with you since birth."

Emma rolled her eyes and was finally able to yank her hands from the grasp of the woman. "Cute. Someone," She glanced pointedly over her shoulder at Carmen, "told you I grew up in foster care." She stood and tossed a couple bills on the table. "I think we're done here." She motioned for Carmen to lead the way out of the tent.

"It was the curse that took him, nothing you could have done differently would have saved him. His fate, like yours, was decided at your birth."

Carmen was already out of the small space, but Emma froze just inside. "Who are you talking about?"

The fortune teller behind her let out a small breath. "Henry."

Emma whirled around to face the woman. "I've never spoken that name aloud, not even to Carmen." She narrowed her eyes. "Who are you?"

"A _friend_. Someone who was meant to cross your path."

"Are you coming, Em?" Carmen peeked back in the tent.

Emma turned to her and nodded. "Just give me one second." But when she turned back, the woman was gone.

That night, Emma asked Carmen to run away from Phoenix and go with her to Tallahassee. Carmen agreed and they left two nights later. They spent a whole year together, living life to the fullest like the wild, naïve teenagers they were. Then, three days after Emma's nineteenth birthday, exactly one year after they'd arrived in Florida, Carmen was shot and killed in a convenience store robbery gone wrong. The next morning, Emma Swan was on a bus to Memphis with only a suitcase and a promise that she'd never let anyone in again. And she kept that promise (and that suitcase) for almost a decade. Until one day….

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**-Present Day-**

_Why do they always run when I'm wearing impractical shoes?_ Emma kicked off her heels the second she closed the door. They'd never really been her first choice of footwear… sure they made her butt look absolutely stellar, but at the expense of her feet, and she really needed those feet. She unzipped the dress as she padded towards her bedroom to slip into more comfortable attire.

She emerged in her usual thin white a-shirt/ skinny jeans/ red leather jacket combo and headed straight for the counter where the bakery package stood. She opened the package and pulled out the cupcake. Grabbing a solitary candle she pushed it down into the decorated cake and grabbed her lighter, lighting the candle. She crouched down and rested her arms on the edge of the counter, resting her head on them. She stared at the flame. What should she wish for this year? A pony? A Red Rider BB Gun? Love? Ha, like that would happen! No, she'd wish for what she always wished for.

_I wish I didn't have to be alone on my birthday_.

And then, Emma Swan knew only blackness.


	2. Fruitless Search

DISCLAIMER:: do not own

A/N:: thank you to all who showed interest in this story. i have big plans for it and i hope you continue to read. enjoy and review. oh, and important formula to remember in regards to time 1 month in the fairytale realm is 2 years in our world.

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-**Present Day, Castle of King James & Queen Snow White, (unoccupied) Enchanted Forest**-

She paced about restlessly. "She must be stopped! This has gotten out of control!" She gave out a sigh of frustration and whirled on her husband.

James stared at his wife with the caution of someone approaching an enraged lion. "We can't touch her and you know that. All our efforts, all the entire Enchanted Forest's efforts, have fallen flat. She's too powerful."

His tone had been meant to soothe, but Snow just felt the anger flare up again. "No one is unstoppable! There must be a way. If we had all the pieces, we'd have the advantage. We could plead our case."

James shook his head. "She's magically protected and we know she has at least two of them. How can we take them from her? We can't. She may have more for all we know. At least we can console ourselves with the fact that she'll never get Emma's piece."

"We lost our little girl because of her!" Snow's anger gave way to sadness in an instantaneous shift. She nearly collapsed from the weight of it all. It had been nearly fifteen months since the curse had taken Emma away from them. The war between the realms of their world had only escalated, and without their savior, Snow knew it was only a matter of time before the Evil Queen took control of them all.

James walked over and pulled his wife into his arms. "We will find where the curse transported her. We have the spell casters on it."

Snow shook her head. "They've been trying for over a year. The only person who even has a chance of knowing is the one person we can't ask."

They had made a pact never to ask for something from Rumplestiltskin again. He wasn't by any means responsible for Emma's capture, but it hadn't been hard for them to discover that the twisted dark magician had told the Evil Queen about Emma. He had painted a target on the back of an unborn infant, _their_ unborn infant, and that was unforgivable.

"The spell casters will work." He kissed the top of her head. "They've caught the curse's magical signature several times, but every time they get close to locking down her location, it disappears, as if Emma is always moving."

"What if she is? What if the curse is programmed so that every time someone tries to find where it sent her, she gets transported somewhere else? Like some sort of curse-y defense mechanism?"

"A curse-y defense mechanism?" He pulled away just enough to stare down at his wife in amusement.

She sighed. "I want her back James. Wherever she is, she's a toddler. She must be so scared."

"We'll find her. I promise."

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-**Present Day, Castle of the Evil Queen, Undisclosed Location**-

"Where is that insufferable little brat?" Regina felt like punching something, or blowing something up… just _destroying_ something.

The face in the mirror watched her pace restlessly, as he did every day. It seemed that that's the only thing Regina felt these days, restlessness. Nothing seemed to keep her content for more than an hour. She had been searching for the child since the day she'd disappeared. The child had been the bane of her existence since she'd found out her arch nemesis was pregnant. It hardly helped that Rumplestiltskin had predicted her downfall at the hands of Snow White's spawn. Regina had made it her mission, and therefore his, to find and destroy the baby. But that had, so far, been a fruitless effort. There was little doubt left that the child no longer resided in their realm, but there were so many possibilities, so many parallel universes she could have been deposited in. All experienced time and life at a different rate. It was possible she had ended up in a universe where she had already lived a full life and died of old age. But Regina would not stop until she knew for sure.

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-**Present Day, The South Woods near the city of Rockspear, (unoccupied) Enchanted Forest**-

Emma awoke to the smell of dirt. Dirt? In Boston? She tried to move and groaned as her muscles objected. She opened her eyes and found herself hugging the ground.

_What did I have to drink last night?_

She remembered catching her guy after their 'dinner date'. Then she had gone and picked up her cupcake order from the bakery. And she'd gone home. She felt the shift of leather against her shoulders. Obviously she had changed out of her date attire sometime after arriving home. She tried to move again, but to no avail. She felt it then. Body heat. She had been too mixed up to register the other person's presence before this instant, but… it was sitting on her. She turned her head to look at the intruder and was surprised when a smiling face hovered near hers.

"I can appreciate a need to take a load off buddy, but last time I checked, bench wasn't in my job description."

The face, obviously male, tilted his head, regarding her, still with a smile. He remained silent. He wasn't like anyone she had met in Boston before. She'd resided in Boston five months, one month away from the six month deadline she gave any place she stayed. A few times she had even entertained the notion that this might be the city that changed her mind. She made adequate money chasing down the lowlifes who jumped bail. But this man was definitely not a Boston native. She couldn't get a full look at him, but she could see his face clearly. He had a small wiry brown beard. His ears were several sizes too large and his nose was what could only be described as bulbous. His cap looked as if it had been cut from the cloth of a burlap sack.

She groaned. "Listen buddy, just in case you haven't grasped what I'm saying here… I want you to get off my back."

Again the man just stared at her silently.

"He won't get off you if you keep talking to him like that."

She couldn't see the owner of the voice. He was somewhere off behind her.

"And why is that?"

"Because his name isn't Buddy."

She rolled her eyes. _Really?_ "And what, pray tell, is his name then?"

"It's Dopey."

Emma nearly laughed. "As in the dwarf?"

The voice seemed pleased. "You've heard of him then?"

Emma frowned. This guy couldn't possibly be serious. "Sure, everyone has." She regarded the smiling man on her back. "What do you say, er, Dopey? Will you get off my back?"

The man nodded and moved from her back. She sat up with a little effort and stretched, finally taking in her surroundings. There were trees all about. Was she in Boston Common? No. There were too many trees and all the wrong type. Where was she?

"You seem lost."

She finally was able to take in the man who had spoken and nearly gasped at the sight. He was short. Not quite as short as she would expect a dwarf to be… more like Tom Cruise short. He appeared to be older than the one he'd referred to as Dopey and he wore round spectacles. This was just too easy. "Don't tell me… you're Doc?"

The little old man seemed taken aback. "Then you've heard of me as well?"

She rolled her eyes. She wouldn't even answer a stupid wuestion like that. She looked around. "So… where exactly are we?"

"We are currently three leagues from the city of Rockspear."

"Rockspear? Where is that in relation to Boston?"

The two men exchanged a look. "We have never heard of Bosstown."

"Boston."

"Or that place either."

She blew out a frustrated breath. "Did you happen to see who left me here?"

The man with the glasses shook his head. "We found you asleep on our way home from work."

Emma raised an eyebrow. "At the mines?"

Both men nodded.

Emma rubbed her temples. This was a dream. It had to be. She'd just let it play out. What else could she do? Obviously, her body didn't want to wake up yet, so she'd play along until her alarm went off.

"So, Snow White still crashing with you guys?"

Doc gave her an odd look. "Certainly you know she is Queen now."

"Of course she is." She sighed.

"I fear her reign will soon come to an end however."

Emma frowned. "Why?"

"Why, there's been war all over the realm since the Princess disappeared over a year ago." He looked at her curiously. "You really know nothing of this?"

She shook her head.

Doc looked at Dopey and they both nodded at each other. "Come with us. We'll see that you get a hot meal and tell you all about the war."

She knew she shouldn't trust strangers, especially in a place she didn't know. But if Rockspear really was the closest city it would mean a nine mile walk through a forest she didn't know. Besides… this was only a dream after all. What could possibly happen? She fell into step next to the men as they navigated their way through the trees to a small dirt road and set out for home. "So, which Princess disappeared?"

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-**Present Day, Castle of King James & Queen Snow White, (unoccupied) Enchanted Forest**-

"Your Majesty." The lead spell caster looked fairly unwell, as if he were about to be sick at any moment, but still managed a shaky bow.

James sat on the far side of the stone table in the meeting chambers. Snow sat to his right. Their captain of guards to his left. No one else was present. "What is it Leland?"

"We caught the magical signature of the curse."

Snow sat up straighter, her eyes seeming alive for the first time since her daughter had disappeared. "You've found her then?"

The spell caster looked at her apologetically. "I'm afraid not Your Grace."

"Why call this meeting if you have nothing new to tell us?" James tried not to let his agitation show.

"But I do have _something_, Your Majesty. The curse… it is no more. It has ended."

"But... how is that possible? Unless…"

Snow shook her head. "She's gone?"

The spell caster frowned. "We sent two of our best to the world in which it ended. She was not there. But neither was her body. Marimm was able to ascertain that she survived the breaking of the curse, but he cannot sense her life force after that. Once again, I'm afraid the Princess has just… disappeared." He looked sorrowful. "But now, we have no means by which to track her. Wherever the Princess is, our magic will do little to help find her."

James nodded. "You have done us a great service Leland. I will see that your spell casters and you are well compensated for your time and efforts."

"Thank you, Your Majesty. I only wish we could have done more." He bowed deeply and left the chambers.

"She's alive James; I know she is." Snow stared at him.

James nodded. "I believe so."

Snow White's eyes clouded over with steely resolve. "No matter how long it takes, I _will_ find her."


	3. A Chance Meeting

DISCLAIMER:: do not own

A/N:: another update for everyone. thank you to everyone who's shown an interest in this story. i mostly start out stories with some idea of where they're going, but this one has no certain destination yet. i hope everyone will stay along for the ride though. as always, enjoy and review.

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-**27 Years Ago (in measure of human years), Castle Ash, East Enchanted Forest**-

_"They'll come for you."_

The words echoed in her head as she stared at her reflection in the mirror.

Her capture was inevitable. She'd known that a long time ago. There was only one option left to her now. She had to get her piece to Snow White. But how? Snow's lands were heavily guarded. She'd never make it through, not before they took her. She'd be dead within the week, of that she had little doubt. She only hoped she'd have time to do this one last thing.

She turned from the mirror and looked down at her daughter, staring up at her from the small basket she'd placed her in not ten minutes before. Her poor innocent daughter, so brand new to the world. She was destined to grow up in a world ravaged by war. She had never wanted this for her, but there was nothing she could do now, except spare her the same fate that was destined to be her own. She went to the painting set in the wall. She slid it aside, revealing a safe. She entered the code and opened it to reveal a light blue satchel. She grabbed the small velvet bag and closed the safe, covering it back up. She went back to the basket and tucked the satchel into the straw her daughter was lying on.

She signaled to her servant girl and the young woman came forward. She handed her the basket, sobs already choking from her throat. "Take her to Queen Snow White. Stop for no one. No matter how tired you are, no matter how kind they seem… stop for no one. The Evil Queen has spies everywhere." She looked down into the basket and took one last long look at her daughter. She knew this would be the last time she'd ever see her. She tried her best to engrain the infant's small face in her mind. Finally, she turned away. "Go. Go now!"

The servant girl nodded and whisked the basket away. And she sat down at her vanity to await the end.

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-**Present Day, Cottage of the Seven Dwarves, South Woods, (unoccupied) Enchanted Forest**-

Emma snuggled deeper into the warmth of the blanket. She had forgotten how much she liked her bed. It was good to her. They slept together every night and when sunrise came the next morning, they parted ways with not a bad feeling between them, each knowing that later that night they'd find their way to each other again. That's how all relationships should be, filled with trust.

"Do you think she's dead? She's been asleep for a long time."

Emma almost frowned. She lived alone. Who was speaking? We're her neighbors fighting again? Finally, with a sigh, she opened her eyes.

Seven little men started back at her and she groaned inwardly. She was still caught in her dream. She sat up. "How long was I our for?"

"Nearly three days." Doc was the one that answered.

She ran a hand across her face, trying to wipe away the exhaustion. She threw her legs off the bed and perched on the edge. She hadn't even meant to fall asleep, but there was something so familiar about this little home in the woods. It almost felt like she belonged here. But that was ridiculous. She eyed the seven little men. "Is there any soup left? I'm starving."

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-**Present Day, Road to the Diamond Mines, South Woods, (unoccupied) Enchanted Forest**-

"I'm not really good at staying behind and cleaning house. You know… the feminist movement and such." She kicked at the pebbles on the dirt road. She had to shorten her steps and slow down her pace so that Doc could keep up.

"You really are a peculiar creature."

Emma smiled. "I could say the same about you and the others."

"You can't work with us in the mine. Women aren't allowed and besides, you're much too tall."

Emma chuckled. She wasn't by any means short, but no one had ever accused her of being tall. "I was thinking I'd go explore today." She always walked them to within a half league of the mines where they worked, but then she walked back and spent her days bored as hell. It was a seven man bachelor pad after all. They'd been able to purchase some clothing for her from Rockspear. Mostly it had been dresses, one of which she wore today, but they'd gotten her two pairs of trousers and a couple tunics as well. They'd been good to her, giving her space at the back of the cottage with a full size bed and a curtain that she could pull across for privacy. It wasn't much of a bedroom, but they were giving her more than she deserved.

Doc's face instantly darkened. "I don't think that's such a good idea."

"Why not?"

"You have no idea where the boundary lines are. If you cross into the Evil Queen's land, she'll know of you for sure."

Emma shrugged. "So?"

Doc gaped at her. "After all we've told you?"

She shrugged. "I could take her."

Doc stared at her curiously. "This is more of your humor, right? That which you call _sarcasm_?"

She looked away so that he didn't see her grin. She had found out rather quickly the small men didn't always grasp human concepts. Despite her best efforts, she had found more of a friend in him than she found in anyone since Carmen. All of them had become her friends. Every night they sat around the small cottage fireplace and talked of what their world was like before the war. She found it akin to listening to bedtime stories as a child, something she'd personally missed out on. She was growing comfortable here. And for the first time in her life, she wasn't afraid of that. "How bad could she really be?"

"There is only one creature in our realm more foul than her. She is all that is evil. You don't stand a chance."

Emma finally gave in. "Fine. Fine. I promise I won't leave the boundaries of the South Woods."

Doc stared at her suspiciously. "Dopey could go with you."

Emma shook her head. "He'd be missed. I know where the South Woods end. I won't go beyond the boundary line." She knew Doc couldn't see that her fingers were crossed behind her back.

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-**Present Day, Castle of the Evil Queen, Undisclosed Location**-

"Your Royal Wickedness."

She glanced at the mirror with distaste. "What is it?"

"I believe I have identified that random surge of magic."

She perked instantly up. "Yes?"

"Something has been deposited in our world, something powerful. The location is beyond my reach, so I cannot detect if it is an animated presence or not."

Regina frowned. "Where did it occur?" She got up from her couch where she had been lounging.

"It occurred in the South Woods, three leagues out from Rockspear, near the diamond mines."

"Are you positive it wasn't just a surplus of fairy dust? Those disgusting little flying creatures are so clumsy; I wouldn't be surprised if they spilled some."

The floating head shook back and forth. "It was something else. Magic from another world."

Regina's eyes lit up. "Do you think she's back then?"

"I know not the answer to that. Magical surges like these have happened countless times throughout history, many of which have not impacted our world in the least."

But something in the air had changed, Regina could feel it. Something… or _someone_, was coming.

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-**Present Day, Northern Boundary Line, South Woods, (unoccupied) Enchanted Forest**-

She stared out towards the edge of the cliff. It was still a quarter mile away from where she stood. She had paced the invisible boundary line, following it for miles, trying to find a way closer to what promised to be an amazing view. She would bet good money that you could see the whole of the Enchanted Forest from there. But it was on _her_ side, the occupied side, and that posed a dilemma.

She stared at the empty space before her. What's the worst that could happen if she took just one small step over? It's not like she was even on the Evil Queen's radar. The Evil Queen didn't know she even existed. Plus, this was a dream right? Although, it was an incredibly long and detailed one. Defiance kicked in and she steeled her resolve against the absurdity. She put one booted toe over the boundary line and touched it down to the forest floor on the other side. Nothing happened. She smiled to herself and stepped over. She headed straight for the cliff. It was her only goal.

The second she stepped to the edge, she knew it had been worth it to throw Doc's warning out the window. The world stretched out before her. She saw more green than she'd ever seen in her life. Here and there were cities and small villages. And far off in the distance, on the edge of what looked to be a vast sea was a sparkling white palace.

"It's breathtaking, isn't it?"

Emma whirled around, losing her balance in the process. She felt herself start to fall backward through empty air. Just when she was convinced she was going to be toppling through nothing but air, strong arms wrapped around her waist and pulled her back up onto solid ground.

She found herself pressed incredibly close to a beautiful woman she'd never seen before. The woman's eyes were a deep, consuming brown. Emma found herself mesmerized for a long moment. Finally, she managed a small chuckle. "Thank you for…"

The other woman smiled. "I've always been a sucker for a damsel in distress."

Emma wasn't fond of someone, especially someone she didn't know, highlighting any weakness. But this time she decided to let it slide. This woman had just saved her life after all. "So, do you have a name, oh saviour of mine?" She didn't make a move to wrench herself away from the woman's arms still wrapped around her. The nearly intoxicating smell of apples filled her nostrils and clouded her mind, but in a pleasant way.

The woman studied her with a smirk that seemed to allude to a million secrets this woman possessed. "Regina."

Emma smiled. "Thank you, Regina. I owe you one."

Regina raised an eyebrow. "Am I to be denied the name of the damsel I rescued?"

Emma smirked, not stepping away from the edge despite her near fatal fall, mostly as an excuse to stay close to the woman. "Swan."

Regina studied her for a long moment. "Lady Swan." She inclined her head. "May I ask what part of the kingdom you hail from?"

"Rockspear." It was the only place she knew of, though she had yet to actually see the city.

Regina studied her. "I find that hard to believe."

"And why is that?" Emma immediately went to the defensive. She finally pulled herself from the woman's warm touch.

"Rockspear is a mining town. Almost all who dwell there supply the mines. Your hands… they've never done the work required from the native women of Rockspear."

"You're right. I'm not from Rockspear. I'm not really sure where I'm from, but my current home is in Boston."

Regina frowned. "I've heard of every town and city in this world, but I don't believe I've ever heard of this… _Boston_."

"Just because you've never heard of it, doesn't mean it doesn't exist."

Regina conceded with an incline of her head. "True."

Emma looked back out at the view. "To answer your question from earlier, it is breathtaking. I've seen many things in my life, many places. But nothing like this. I feel as if I'm standing on the edge of the world. It's unreal."

Regina stared at the woman as she gazed out at the land in wonder. She obviously wasn't from this part of the Enchanted Forest. Maybe she was from the mountains. Not all the cities and villages there were mapped and it would explain her fair complexion and her current state of amazement. Regardless of where she was from, she was beautiful. "I come here to clear my head." She wasn't sure what had made her confess something personal, but there was just something about this woman.

Emma pointed towards the hulking white castle by the sea. "Whose castle is that?"

Regina frowned. "It belongs to King James and Queen Snow White."

Emma glanced at Regina. The darker woman did not look pleased. "Not their biggest fan I take it?"

Regina scoffed. "Hardly. I believe some people are given more credit than their due because of the public's perception of them rather than who they truly are."

Emma nodded. "I couldn't agree with you more. Once people make up their mind about you, it's hard to change their opinion. I find that the worst people are sometimes the most loved by the public, and the best are sometimes forced into the role of outcast."

Regina stared at the blonde, slightly taken aback. "I… You are unlike anyone I've ever met Lady Swan."

Emma finally turned and regarded Regina for the first time. She wasn't unnaturally tall, but the air with which she carried herself made her seem imposing. Her hair was done up in some complicated knot Emma couldn't even begin to comprehend, but she could tell, if let down, it would be long. Her makeup was dark, but not overbearingly so. She was a woman who was aware of her beauty and the best way to accentuate it, a quality Emma found attractive. She wore black leather pants that seemed to be painted on they were so tight. She wore a coat of a deep plum and gloves over her hands. "Don't sound so perplexed… not everyone fits some mold… there are free thinkers out there."

"Not here."

Emma frowned. "Well then, here is not somewhere I plan to be long." With one last glance at the view, she sighed. "I should be going."

"Should I see you safely home, Lady Swan of Boston? Or do you think you can manage on your own?"

Emma rolled her eyes. "I think I'm good." She stepped around the woman and started back towards the boundary line. She would have to hurry if she wanted to meet the boys on the mining road. If she was late, Doc would be suspicious. She turned back. "It was nice meeting you, Regina. Thank you."

"Will I see you again Lady Swan?"

"I don't make promises." Emma shrugged and smiled. "But life is unpredictable. I may just be a beautiful stranger you never meet again but always think about... or you may find me here tomorrow."

Regina was intrigued by this woman. She resolved that she would add her to her collection... but she'd play this game with her a little first. "I shall hope for tomorrow then."


	4. Desperately Seeking Swan

DISCLAIMER:: do not own

A/N:: thank you for the continued interest and support. i like this story, mostly because i still have no idea what it is or where it's going. but i'm down for a crazy ride. enjoy and review.

SWAN QUEEN SWAN QUEEN SWAN QUEEN

-**Present Day, Castle of the Evil Queen, Undisclosed Location**-

"Why, Your Wickedness, you look, dare I say it, _happy_." The face in the mirror mocked her. Normally, she'd make him cower before her, but today she felt unnaturally lenient.

"I need you to locate someone for me." She stared at him intensely, her steel glare brooking no argument.

"As you wish."

"Her name is Lady Swan. I met with her today at the overlook to the north of the South Woods. I need you to find out everything you can about her. Start with the taverns in Rockspear and move out from there."

"Rockspear? The city near the diamond mines? What would a proper Lady be doing in the likes of that place?"

Regina narrowed her eyes in thought. "That's exactly what I'd like to know. When I asked her where she was from, she was quick to throw out the city's name, as if it was all she had knowledge of. I need to know more about her."

The mirror regarded her with renewed interest. It wasn't like the evil woman to let her playthings go so easily. If this were a normal day and she were this curious about an individual, she would have merely captured the poor unsuspecting soul. What had made this Lady Swan so different?

As if reading his mind, she smirked. Walking slowly towards him like a lioness stalking her pray, her eyes flashed dangerously. "This one is _different_. I'm going to have fun breaking her will, giving her a false sense of security until she submits to me. I always have been rather good in the art of seduction." She leaned in close to the surface, near enough to kiss him had his head been more than a vision behind glass. "Or don't you remember?"

His eyes flashed briefly but his face didn't betray his anger for more than a mere moment. "I will go check the taverns of Rockspear, though I'm not sure there will be much to discover. Their reflective surfaces are never well maintained. I always seem to have to view the world through beer-goggles." With that he disappeared.

She turned away from the mirror, grateful to be alone. The genie cursing himself into her mirror had been to her advantage. He had been the most invaluable asset in predicting battle strategy during this war. It made any attempt at a sneak attack futile. She knew he was irreplaceable. But there were times where she just needed to be alone, and he was always there, a constant reminder of who she was and the deeds she'd done. Truly, it was one of the main reasons she frequented the overlook where she'd met Lady Swan. It was beyond his reach. There were no reflective surfaces there, nothing for him to occupy. It was the only place she could go to feel free. She had never shared it with anyone before. It was _her_ place. Rockspear was over five leagues away and dwarves weren't big travelers. No one ever went there except the occasional passing traveler. She had it all to herself. Until Lady Swan. What shocked her more was not that someone had stumbled across the place… it wasn't well hidden by any means, but rather that it hadn't bothered her that the blonde had invaded her sanctuary. That was a most curious reaction on her part. It wasn't like her to be soft.

She impatiently sat on her couch to await the mirror's return. She'd be more than slightly aggravated if he didn't bring her something worthwhile. She didn't want to leave her chances of seeing Lady Swan again on that implication the blonde had made just before she disappeared back into the South Woods.

SWAN QUEEN SWAN QUEEN SWAN QUEEN

-**Present Day, Cottage of the Seven Dwarves, South Woods, (unoccupied) Enchanted Forest**-

"Well doesn't someone look extra happy to see us?" Grumpy pushed past her with a suspicious gaze.

Emma shrugged his bad mood off. He always had one; it wasn't really something she took to heart anymore.

"You do look slightly more chipper than usual. Did you enjoy your walk?"

She had been too late home to meet them on the road from the mines, not to mention exhausted from the exertion and excitement of the afternoon. So, instead, she had returned to the cottage and straightened up (apparently her feminist ideals had gone out the window). "I did."

"Where'd you go?" Sneezy punctuated his inquiry with one of his infamous sneezes.

Emma shrugged. "I just walked along the northern boundary line for a while." She closed the door after Dopey entered and joined the little men in their small kitchen.

"See anything interesting?" Happy smiled.

She shrugged. "Not really."

They moved on to the men's day at work, the same as it always was, and then after the dishes had been cleared away, they all adjourned to the fire for the nightly tale telling.

Emma had only made it through one short story before she gave an exaggerated yawn and excused herself to go to sleep, claiming that the walk had tuckered her out. It had, but not to the point of exhaustion, but she also knew that the sooner she fell asleep, the sooner it'd be tomorrow. And the sooner it was tomorrow, the sooner she'd get to see Regina again.

SWAN QUEEN SWAN QUEEN SWAN QUEEN

-**Present Day, Castle of King James and Queen Snow White, (unoccupied) Enchanted Forest**-

"What are you doing up?" James joined his wife by the window.

She glanced over her shoulder and managed a small smile to reassure him. Then her attention went immediately back out the window. "She's out there somewhere. In some world. Do you think she knows her name? Does she even know that we're here? That we want her?"

James wrapped his arms around his wife and stared out over the Enchanted Forest with her. "I'm sure she knows that she's loved."

Snow White shook her head. "I wouldn't. I'd believe I'd been abandoned. I'd imagine the cruelest things about parents that were cold enough to leave me for dead."

James sighed. This wasn't a new fear for either of them. They had no idea where Emma went, or what her quality of life had been since then. She could hate them. It was something they'd have to live with. But lately Snow had grown more and more anxious and he had no idea what to do except sit back and watch as his wife unraveled before his eyes. "Word will have reached everyone by morning. Then they'll all be heading here for the meeting."

Snow nodded. "I know. I keep telling myself that if I can just hold out until our forces mobilize, maybe things will finally fall into place."

He kissed the crown of her head. "Things will work themselves out. You'll see."

SWAN QUEEN SWAN QUEEN SWAN QUEEN

-**Present Day, Castle of the Evil Queen, Undisclosed Location**-

"Excuse me?" Regina glared at the mirror, her sharp gaze full of malice.

"No one in Rockspear has heard of this Lady Swan you speak of. She has not been seen within their borders, I assure you."

Regina cursed under her breath. "How can this be? It is an isolated area. Where else could she live but in Rockspear? She was well dressed and adequately fed; there's no way she is a child of the forest. Nymphs can be just as beautiful, and they do favor naming themselves after nature and the creatures in it, but they would never dress in such restrictive clothing, or speak as she did. So where is she from?"

"I have a theory."

Her eyes shot up to focus on him; she had almost forgotten he was there. Of course he was there. It was the place he'd condemned himself to be for the rest of time.

"There is one place in the South Woods she could reside. A cottage. I believe you know the one."

Regina looked thoughtful for a moment, searching her memory. She hadn't given much care to the South Woods in her conquest of the Enchanted Forest. The diamond mines and the fairy dust they produced were of little use to her. Fairy dust couldn't be harnessed for evil purposes. It was just glorified glitter to her. The last time she'd even been in the South Woods had been…. Her eyes grew wide. No. She was staying _there_? "She's with _them_ then. She did mention she was staying with friends."

"I believe you've discovered our unexplained surge of magic. The dwarves must have stumbled upon her on their way home from the mines. They gave her shelter, dressed her, fed her, just as they once did for her mother."

Regina flinched at the mention of Lady Swan's possible lineage. "If she is the daughter of Snow White, as you are so quick to believe, then she knows nothing of them."

The mirror smirked. "That, my Queen, gives _you_ the advantage."

SWAN QUEEN SWAN QUEEN SWAN QUEEN

-**Present Day, Cottage of the Seven Dwarves, South Woods, (unoccupied) Enchanted Forest**-

"Swan. Wake up."

Emma groaned and turned away from the voice. She wasn't ready to get up. "I'm not feeling up to the walk today. Go without me."

"There's been a rider from the palace of the King and Queen. You need to wake up."

Emma was about to protest again when the words finally registered. She sat up, instantly alert. "What?"

Doc looked at her wildly. "There's been a message from the palace. The King and Queen have called a meeting."

"What kind of meeting?" Emma rubbed the last little remnants of sleep from her eyes before getting out of bed.

"The messenger did not know. He only said that it was urgent and we must come at once."

Emma nodded. "Okay. How long will you be gone?"

Doc tilted his head in confusion. "You will accompany us Swan."

Emma's brow furrowed. "What good will I be at this meeting?"

Doc shook his head. "Not for the meeting, but… there are many powerful spell casters at the palace. They've been searching for the Princess. I'm sure one of them would know a way to get you back to Bosstown."

Emma nodded. He had a point. She loved the little cottage, but she needed to go home. This wasn't her place. She still wasn't even quite positive it wasn't just a really vivid dream. But Regina… the prospect of missing out on ever seeing her again made Emma shiver. There was just something about the older woman that drew her in, that called out to her. "When do we leave?"

"Before the sun reaches the top of the sky."

Noon. She wasn't sure when Regina would be at the overlook, or if she'd even be there at all. But something inside her told her that she had to try. "I have to go somewhere before we leave."

Doc shook his head. "We don't have much time. The morning is nearly half over. The boys will be back from Rockspear soon with our steeds."

Emma shook her head. "I promise. I'll return as soon as I can. If I go to the palace, I may never return, and if I don't do this last thing, I may regret it for a long time."

Doc smiled. "It's a suitor then?"

Emma rolled her eyes. "Something like that."

SWAN QUEEN SWAN QUEEN SWAN QUEEN

-**Present Day, Cliff Overlook Beyond the Northern Boundary Line, (occupied) Enchanted Forest**-

This time she didn't even hesitate before she stepped over the boundary line. She raced straight for the overlook. Once she saw the view again, something settled inside her. She thought back to her conversation with Regina. _"I come here to clear my head."_ She could understand that, standing here, looking out over the world.

"Come here often?"

Regina's breath was on her neck. She hadn't even heard the woman's approach. This time the voice didn't startle her. Instead it wrapped around her like a familiarity she'd somehow forgotten. She smiled to herself. "You came. I was afraid I'd miss you."

"It's not easy to intrigue me Lady Swan, but you have."

Emma shivered as fingers ghosted down the curve of her spine. Finally, she turned, her face mere inches from the older woman's. "Maybe you've intrigued me too."

Regina smirked. "What do you suggest we do about this mutual interest?"

Emma shrugged and looked away. "Unfortunately, nothing."

"What?" Regina was taken aback. She'd had her! Where was this sudden reluctance coming from?

Emma bit her lip. "I'm leaving for the palace at noon. After that, hopefully, I'll be returning to Boston."

"You're going to see the King and Queen? Why?" Regina took a step back.

"I'm not exactly sure how to get home and the friends I'm staying with believe that some spell casters at the palace will be able to help me out." Emma shrugged. "I'm not that hopeful, but hey, whatever works."

"You **cannot** go there."

Emma frowned. This woman was attractive, and sure, she sensed that there was something between them, some connection. But she had to get home. If this truly wasn't a dream, and she was finally convinced that maybe it wasn't, then it was up to her to get back to where she belonged.

"Do you trust me Lady Swan?"

Emma raised an eyebrow at the woman. She barely knew her, how could she trust her? And yet she did. She nodded. "More than anyone else I've met here."

"Then trust me when I tell you this is for your own good." Regina wrapped her arms around the blonde.

Emma had no time to think before the world disappeared in a swirl of smoke.


	5. A Forced Hand

DISCLAIMER:: do not own

A/N:: thank you for the interest in this story. still don't know where it's going but the thoughts keep coming as each chapter comes due, so i'm not too worried... it's not the destination that matters, but the journey. posting this tonight because i can't wait to get to chapter 6 (my favorite so far). enjoy and review.

SWAN QUEEN SWAN QUEEN SWAN QUEEN

-**Present Day, Cottage of the Seven Dwarves, South Woods, (unoccupied) Enchanted Forest**-

"Leave her." The irritable voice cut through the silence between them.

"Oh, quiet down Grumpy. I saw you put that blanket back over her the other night after she'd kicked it off. You can't fool us, brother, we know you love her too." Doc looked at him over the top of his glasses, willing the cantankerous dwarf to deny the accusation.

Grumpy just turned away and grumbled incoherently under his breath.

Bashful stepped forward, his eyes turned towards his feet. "We won't make it to Crowley before nightfall if we don't set out soon, Doc."

Doc shook his head. "She knew when she was supposed to be back. Something has happened. It's this suitor of hers."

"Suitor?" Grumpy's attention was piqued. "What do you mean suitor?"

Doc shrugged. "I believe she met him on her wanderings recently. She insisted she must go speak with someone before we left, but she wouldn't say who."

Grumpy groaned. "I know who it was. We won't get her back."

Doc looked at him. "Who?"

Grumpy's ever present frown deepened. "The Evil Queen."

Each of his brothers let out a gasp. Doc stared at him. "What makes you think she found Swan? The Evil Queen hasn't been seen in the South Woods in nearly two years."

"No, but her little reflective minion was cruising the taverns in Rockspear last evening. He was asking questions about a blonde haired Lady that the Evil Queen had happened upon in the forest yesterday afternoon. He must have been seeking Swan."

"Why would Swan walk into the clutches of the Evil Queen willingly?" Sleepy turned a half-lidded gaze on the cranky dwarf.

"She's obviously not from this world. She has no idea what the Evil Queen looks like. We spent so much time describing her deeds and not enough describing _her_." Doc shook his head sadly.

"If she has Swan in her clutches, then her fate is already the same as the others."

No one commented, but they all knew Grumpy spoke the truth.

SWAN QUEEN SWAN QUEEN SWAN QUEEN

-**Present Day, Castle of the Evil Queen, Undisclosed Location**-

Emma knew she should be afraid and a small part of her was. But the bigger part of her enjoyed the rush of adrenaline through her system. She was flying. She saw nothing but smoke, but she felt the feeling of soaring. It was quite unusual, but also exhilarating. She leaned in and rested her head against Regina's shoulder and closed her eyes, embracing the feeling. But all too soon it was over.

She felt her feet connect with solid ground and the impact, though not hard, was sudden enough that she would have buckled had Regina's arms not been wrapped securely around her. Regina was obviously much more accustomed to these landings than she was, though after the time she'd spent in the company of the dwarves, that hardly shocked her. She pulled away from the older woman's arms before the embrace became too intimate. Their small touches and playful banter thus far could be chocked up to friendship and a flirtatious personality. She wasn't ready to cross the line into anything more detailed than that just yet.

"Where are we?" Emma glanced around the stone chamber. While the South Woods and the dwarves' cottage looked like something out of a Thomas Kinkade painting, this place was something much darker, medieval almost. The walls were pure stone, thick. They seemed to suck up what little light the room had to offer, though there were several windows around. There was a grand fireplace against one wall, so big that Emma could walk into it and stand comfortably without stooping. Before the fireplace was a duo of arm chairs and a couch, all upholstered with the same rich red velvet.

"We are in my castle; this is my downstairs parlor."

Emma's eyebrows shot up. "Your _castle_?" She smirked. "What are you? Like a Queen or something?" And then it dawned on her. It had been staring her in the face this whole time and she hadn't even realized. Regina had been way too nicely attired for a stroll through the woods, but Emma had let her mind explain it away. There was just something about Regina that she wanted to trust, something that called to her whenever the brunette was near. Even now, with her newfound knowledge of who this woman truly was, she still felt the pull. She wanted to be near her. "You're _her_, aren't you?"

Did Lady Swan sound… disappointed? Regina took a step toward the blonde and was secretly pleased when the woman didn't automatically recoil.

"Why'd you bring me here, Regina?"

A small smile tugged at the corners of the evil woman's mouth at the sound of Lady Swan saying her name. She had expected Lady Swan to be afraid. This reaction to being captured was a prime example of the ways this woman intrigued her. She didn't react to her like anyone she'd ever met before. Lady Swan was… objective. "I couldn't let you go to _them_."

Emma raised an eyebrow. "Since when did you become the authority in my life?"

Regina smirked. Lady Swan knew who she was and yet she didn't even think twice about carrying on just as she had when she'd been oblivious to Regina's identity. Yet another intriguing thing about her. "Since I brought you here dear."

Emma frowned. "I'm your prisoner then?"

Regina's silence was all the answer Emma needed.

The blonde's eyes flashed dangerously. "The hell I am!" She stormed past Regina and straight for the double doors that led out to the corridor from the parlor.

Regina disappeared in a swirl of smoke, reappearing a moment later directly in Emma's path. "You are my captive Lady Swan! This is not a voluntary situation! You will not leave without my permission!"

Emma narrowed her eyes, defiance radiating from her in soft waves. "This was your plan all along, wasn't it? You wanted to bring me here. Sure, maybe not today, maybe not like this, but eventually. Snow's messenger just forced your hand a little early. You wanted to keep me in a cage."

"You'll get used to it here. It's really not as awful as it seems, Lady Swan."

"Have you ever been a prisoner, _Regina_?" The venom with which Emma said her name left little doubt in Regina's mind that whatever might have been between them was gone.

She thought back to her days with King Leopold. Being trapped, as she had been, had driven her to this place of darkness. Would that be Lady Swan's fate? King Leopold had not been an unkind husband. He had given her a decent life, but still it had not been enough for her. Just as this would not be enough for Lady Swan. No! She wouldn't do that to her; she would never let it get so far. Once she conquered Snow White and that terrible wretch could no longer get her tainted hands on Lady Swan, Regina would let her go. "Yes, Lady Swan, I have. I was once trapped for many years, in a place much like this, forced to live side by side with my worst enemy. A woman who, on multiple occasions, has tried to kill me." She smirked. "And many times I have tried to return the favor."

"Why do this then?" Emma refused to back down. She stared at Regina with all the ferocity she could manage.

"You intrigue me Lady Swan. That is far from easy to do. I have a certain… _respect_ for you that I have for very few people in this land. I don't want you to fall into the clutches of Snow White."

The reality of the situation hit Emma full force and she found herself nodding before she even comprehended that was what she was doing. "Okay." She turned without a fight and walked back to the couch, falling upon it with a sigh.

Regina had expected an argument. Again Lady Swan shocked her with her unpredictable reactions. _Who was this woman?_ "You have no objections?"

"Oh, I have objections. But you seem to want to protect me on some level. No one has wanted to do that for me since… well, let's just say for a very long time and leave it at that."

Regina took a few steps towards her and then seemed to think better of it and stopped, still six feet from the couch. "You truly are quite unlike anyone I've ever met."

"With how you seem to feel about everyone here, I should think that a good thing."

"Time will tell." Regina's lips quirked upward in a faint smile. "For now, it is a _new_ thing. Unexpected."

SWAN QUEEN SWAN QUEEN SWAN QUEEN

-**26 Years Ago (in measure of human years), Castle of King James and Queen Snow, (unoccupied) Enchanted Forest**-

"Your Majesties." The guard went to one knee.

"Arise." James stood in front of his throne. "What have you brought us?"

"While breaking through the barriers, we stumbled upon someone being attacked by the Evil Queen's guards on the edge of your lands. We fought them off the woman."

"Who is she? Bring her before us, so that we may hear her story."

"Unfortunately sire, the woman died of wounds she'd suffered at the hands of the soldiers. She did however have something with her that might be of interest to you." The guard looked over his shoulder and gestured to one of his men who brought forth a covered basket.

"What is this?" Snow stood now, ignoring a concerned look from her husband, and walked down the stairs from the raised platform at the far end of the hall where the thrones sat. She walked over to the basket that the guard still held and lifted the blanket that was blocking the contents from view. She let out a small gasp as a precious face with sparkling ice blue eyes stared up at her. She slid her arms around the infant and lifted it into her arms. "Where did you come from?" She posed the question to the infant but her eyes were on the guards.

The captain frowned. "We had no time to question the young woman before she succumbed to her wounds."

Snow noticed a small blue string protruding from the soft bed of straw in the bottom of the basket. She pulled at it, slowly pulling a light blue satchel from the depths of the straw where it had been hidden. She breathed a sigh of relief and looked sharply at the guards. "Leave us."

The captain hesitated for a moment, then he seemed to think better of any objections and he led his troop from the hall.

"What is it Snow?" James descended the stairs to join his wife.

She held up the light blue satchel triumphantly. "I'd say the odds just tipped in our favor." She smiled at the baby. "This must be Princess Alessandra… Cinderella's daughter."

James frowned. "If Alessandra's here…"

Snow's smile instantly slipped from her face. "That means Cinderella's been killed."


	6. Precious Moments Of Motherhood

DISCLAIMER:: do not own

A/N:: favorite chapter for this story so far by a long shot. i'm having quite a bit of fun with this emma, she approaches life a lot differently than the emma from the show, because this emma is more hurt by her loss of her friend than by her abandonment issues and there'll be more on than it the future. but i'd like to of course thank all who've stuck with this til now as well as any new readers. please be advised of the warning below. enjoy and review.

WARNING:: tissue box may or may not be needed for the middle section of this chapter. i do not cry easily by any means, but i cried while writing that scene. not for the soft of heart. just sayin'.

SWAN QUEEN SWAN QUEEN SWAN QUEEN

-**Present Day, Castle of the Evil Queen, Undisclosed Location**-

"This will be your bed chamber." Regina opened a door that was identical to all the others on the corridor. "It's not much, but I hadn't anticipated your presence here so soon."

Emma stepped past the woman and looked around. The room was rather large, the bed more grand than any she'd ever owned, or even seen in a hotel. A huge armoire covered nearly seventy five percent of the east wall. "I don't think I've ever owned enough clothes in my whole life to fill _that_."

Regina smirked. "It was actually used to store weapons, but we had it repurposed for your use."

There was a mirror hanging on the opposite wall from the armoire, but no other decoration on the walls. It wasn't the most homey of places, but the minimalist style was something she was quite adept to. This room suited her perfectly. She could see a door next to the armoire that was opened to the equivalent of a bathroom.

"Where do you sleep?"

She hadn't meant for the question to come out and yet it had, flowing from her lips before she had time to stop herself.

Regina seemed unfazed. She beckoned the blonde to follow her. "Come."

The corridor ended in a staircase. Regina took it without the slightest hesitation or glance over her shoulder to confirm if Emma was following. At the top was a door. It was much more ornate than the others. Regina pushed it open and walked into a huge room. It was reminiscent of the downstairs parlor where they'd originally landed, but it felt much more lived in. Mirrors covered the walls, varying in size, and there was a desk off to one side, kept pristine like the woman who worked from it. On each of the three walls there was a door. The one they had just entered through and two more on the walls to their right and left. Where the fourth wall should be just opened up to the world outside. A balcony swept out so that one could survey for miles out over the land.

Regina indicated the door to the left. "My sleeping chambers are through there."

"Where does that go?" Emma indicated the door on the right wall.

Regina tensed. "That is the only room in this entire castle that you may never enter Lady Swan. Everywhere else is at your disposal."

"Even _your_ room?" Emma couldn't help herself. It was a personality flaw.

Regina's eyes flashed with surprise, but she recovered quickly. "If you so wish, yes, even my room."

Emma strode forward confidently and pushed open the door. Regina's bedroom was dark like the woman herself. Deep colors like crimson and black covered everything. The bed was the same massive size as the one in Emma's room, but unlike the blonde's, it looked comfy, slept in. She kicked off her boots, pulled back the blankets and crawled in.

"What are you doing?" Regina raised an eyebrow.

Emma yawned and snuggled down under the blanket. "I've had a busy day. Kidnapping is exhausting. I'm going to sleep."

"Here?"

Emma nodded. "Unless you'd like to retract my free range of the castle grounds."

So this was a test. She should have known. She closed the bed chamber door and walked into her own closet.

Emma could hear the rustle of clothes and then the Queen emerged in a silk nightgown. It was floor length, but fit her in that loosely tight way that left just enough up to the imagination that made you crave for more. The thin straps showed off exquisite shoulders and long arms. Emma watched her every move until she arrived at the bed and slipped in on the opposite side.

They were both silent for several minutes before either spoke. Emma was the one to break the silence. "I'd like to know your side. Not now. But sometime soon; I'd like to know what started this war."

Regina looked at Emma with guarded eyes. "Why?"

Emma shrugged. "Because in the place I come from, everything isn't black and white." She turned her head to meet Regina's gaze. "I'm my own person, and I'll make up my own mind about whether or not you're evil. I've only known you for a little over a day, I'm an insignificant stranger to you, and yet I'm still here. I may be a prisoner, but I'm still _alive_, and that's more than I was led to believe. That earns you a chance to explain." She shrugged. "Who knows… maybe I'll think your actions completely justified and then you'll have an evil sidekick." She grinned and turned her back to the older woman. "Goodnight Regina."

Regina just stared at the blonde's back in contemplative silence. This was not going entirely according to plan. Every time she believed she had gained the upper hand, Lady Swan said something that threw her for a loop. She was so… _different_. And for the first time since they'd met, Regina actually started to believe that might be a good thing.

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-**10 Years Ago (in measure of human years), Sacred Heart Hospital, Phoenix, Arizona**-

"Alright now, Miss Swan, you're going to have to push." The nurse looked at her pleadingly.

Emma shook her head back and forth. She didn't want this to happen. Not now. Not before she got here.

"This baby needs to come out, Miss Swan, you can't keep stalling. It's putting your child at risk."

Again Emma shook her head back and forth. He had been in there nine months already; he could wait a few more minutes.

"I'm here!" Carmen fell breathlessly through the doors, stumbling in full delivery gear to Emma's side.

"Took you long enough! What part of 'I'm having a baby' didn't seem urgent to you?" Emma stared up at her friend with anger she didn't really feel.

Carmen smiled down at Emma. "I was running an errand. You can yell at me once the munchkin gets here, but right now, you need to push." She slipped her hand into Emma's.

The blonde nodded and three excruciating pushes later, the doctor stepped away with an infant shaped bundle in her arms.

Carmen wiped the sweat from Emma's brow and placed a kiss on her forehead. "You did it Ducky!"

Emma smiled and glanced toward the table where they'd taken her son, but the nurses crowded around it blocked him from her view. "Can I see him?"

No one responded.

It was then that it dawned on her. There was no sound. There had been no sound. "Why isn't he crying? Minnie, why isn't he crying?" She tried to sit up but Carmen held her back down. "Let me go! Let me go! Why isn't he crying?"

The nurses shifted just enough that Emma was able to see the small infant. His head was turned towards her and she looked into eyes that knew more than she could ever fathom. There was wonder there, and knowledge, and _life_. He gazed directly at her with an expression that said "_hi mom_" and then, with one final lift and fall of his little chest, he was gone.

_Henry._

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-**Present Day, Northbound Road, Crowley South City Gates, (occupied) Enchanted Forest**-

"Halt!" The two men crossed halberds, barring the men and their steeds from entering the city gates. "What be your business in Crowley?" The taller of the two guards eyed them suspiciously.

"We are journeying to visit a friend and seek shelter for the night at The Painted Lady." Grumpy rode to the front of the pack.

"Ho, Grumps, didn't see you there." The other guard gave the cranky dwarf a grin that was a few teeth short of a full set.

It didn't take much convincing after that for the dwarves to be given entrance to the small city of Crowley. It was bigger than Rockspear by almost double, but still paled in comparison to some of the cities closer to the palace. They knew they must tread lightly here, however, for Crowley was in _her_ territory. Spies were everywhere. They acquired a room easily enough at The Painted Lady, a respectable inn, but hardly known for it's lush accommodations. Still, they were only in need of a bed for the night and they'd set out at dawn, so it would suffice.

Once they were alone in their room, they finally let their dread show. They'd tried to push the idea of Swan in the Evil Queen's clutches from their mind during the ride, but the unfortunate capture of their friend was not easily forgotten.

That night, after they had gone to sleep, a knock came at their door.

Doc, always the leader, crept over and opened it a crack. The man on the other side pushed his way in. The dwarves huddled together, knowing their strength against this intruder was in their numbers.

"The Queen has your friend."

Grumpy rolled his eyes. "We know."

"What you may not know though, is that you still have time to save her."

"What do you mean?" Doc stepped away from his brothers, bringing himself up to his full height, and stepped towards the hooded stranger.

"The Queen likes to… play with her food before she eats it. Your friend is her new toy and she will stay alive as long as she maintains her entertainment value. Get to the royal family fast, and you may yet save her from the fate of the others." He turned without another word, his hand reaching for the knob.

"Who are you?"

The man turned his head slightly, but not enough that they could see under his hood. "A friend."


	7. Breakfast At Regina's

DISCLAIMER:: as usual do not own

A/N:: this is just one of my many theories. now that the sneak peeks have told us that regina's mother is the miller's daughter, it makes this theory a little more farfetched, but hey, it could still happen. anyways, updates will come much more frequently when i figure out where this story is going and what exactly i'm trying to accomplish here. enjoy and review.

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-**Thirteen Years Ago, Peabody Home For Kids, San Diego, California**-

Again. They'd decided she wasn't worth their love and attention again. She'd been through this process with four separate families. Always a foster child, never an adoptee. They were never mean about sending her back, or cruel in any way during the time she spent with them, but she'd learned long ago never to expect anything from foster families. It was always temporary. And if she was being entirely honest with herself, Emma knew she preferred it that way. There was that small part of her, as there always would be, that yearned for the feeling of home, that sense of belonging. But the bigger part of her thrived on adventure and freedom. She didn't want to be tied down by any obligations, let a lone a family. She'd seen first hand how much work a family could be; too much work for her by far.

She tossed her duffel on the bottom bunk and fell down on the unforgiving mattress, laying down and tossing her forearm across her eyes to block out the light.

"Crack addict, alcoholic, or domestic violence?"

Emma's arm slid away from her eyes. "Excuse me?"

A head popped down over the edge of the top bunk and regarded her curiously. "Crack addict, alcoholic, or domestic violence? By the looks of you, you're about sixteen, which means you were taken from your home by CPS, not tossed away with the garbage like the young ones are."

Emma raised an eyebrow. "Which are you?" The girl looked to be her age, if not a little older. She was tan, incredibly so, with jet black hair and the darkest eyes Emma had ever seen, and yet there seemed to be warmth in them.

"A friend of my father's, someone he trusted, he… he was not a nice man. My father trusted him, continues to trust him, so I had to go."

Emma sighed. "I was kicked out by my latest foster family. I'm one of those out with the garbage young ones."

The girl tilted her head and studied her. Finally, she extended a long, bronze arm. "I'm Carmen Buhlar."

Emma took the hand she offered and shook it. "Emma Swan."

Something flashed in Carmen's eyes briefly and then was gone. "Swan… that's an interesting name."

"I was wrapped in a white blanket when they found me… the nurses at the hospital got creative."

"I like it." Carmen grinned. "It looks like you and I are stuck together Emma Swan."

Emma allowed the girl a small smile. "It would seem that way."

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-**Present Day, Castle of the Evil Queen, Undisclosed Location**-

Emma buried her face deeper in the pillow. It was wonderfully soft and smelled just faintly of apples. She smiled in her state somewhere between comatose and conscious. Where had she smelled these apples before? Dark hair and matching dark eyes skirted across the corner of her mind. _Regina_. The name gave her butterflies and then a second later her stomach dropped and her eyes shot open.

She sat up and looked around. She was still in the bedroom in which she had fallen asleep, though her bed mate was gone. She sighed. This wasn't Boston. She was still caught in this dream that wouldn't end. Didn't dreams have fail-safes? Something you could do to wake yourself up? She sighed and threw off the blankets. She'd fallen asleep there in her dress. It had been a chore, hot beyond belief, in the heavy fabric and under all those blankets, but she had been trying to prove a point to Regina. She pulled her boots back on and got up. She trudged out into the parlor to find it occupied, but not by someone she'd previously met.

The man's face lit up when he saw her. "You must be Lady Swan. I was just setting up a late breakfast for you dear."

Emma raised an eyebrow. "And you are?"

"Oh, pardon me. My name is Henry Mills, but you may call me Mr. Mills. My daughter didn't know how long you would sleep, so she went out to the orchard. She asked that I feed you and send you out to her, if it pleases you."

Emma felt the searing knife of pain drive through her chest at the mention of that name. She hadn't heard it spoken aloud in so long that she had nearly forgotten how it sounded rolling off someone's tongue. But she chose not to focus on that, and instead let another word catch her attention. "Daughter? You're Regina's father?"

"Why yes, my dear, I am. Come, sit down here, you look slightly pale. Are you well?"

Emma allowed the man to usher her onto a velvet love seat. A table had been set up before it with a wide spread of what she assumed were the breakfast foods of this realm. She recognized eggs and some form of fresh baked bread, as well as an oatmeal-ish substance and fresh fruit. There were several other dishes she'd never seen before and she decided she wasn't feeling adventurous today. She reached for an apple and took a bite. It was delicious. She munched appreciatively, not realizing how hungry she'd been. She looked up to find Mr. Mills regarding her with interest. "Do I have something on my face?"

He shook his head and chuckled. "No my dear. You are just the first… guest we've had here in quite some time. My daughter, precious as she is to me, is not very fond of company."

Emma nodded. "I know the type." She failed to include that she herself was the type.

"I'm afraid she's become too much like her mother."

"There's a mother too?" God, did this woman take living with your parents to the extreme or what?

"Regina's mother is… she lives in another realm, rules there really. She was exiled long ago. Maybe you've heard of her? The Red Queen? Perhaps the Queen of Hearts?"

Emma nearly spit up her current bite of apple. "As in 'off with his head' Queen of Hearts? The tyrannical ruler of Wonderland?"

"So you have heard of her?" He actually seemed delighted and somewhat shocked.

"Who hasn't?"

"Not many people know about Wonderland, my dear. Very few in fact. It is curious that a girl from the mountains would know of such mysterious places."

Emma chuckled. "Who said I'm from the mountains?"

He seemed surprised. "I was under the impression that's where your Boston was. Forgive me if I was mistaken."

"I've just traveled… a lot. Where I come from, Wonderland, and it's Queen, are common knowledge."

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-**Present Day, Castle of King James and Queen Snow, (unoccupied) Enchanted Forest**-

"Alessandra!" A harried looking Snow got up from the floor after looking under the chest of drawers. "I swear child, you are going to be the death of me, Evil Queen be damned."

She heard a giggle but couldn't decipher where exactly it had come from. She stood, her eyes narrowing as she scanned the extremely large playroom that connected to the nursery. Ever since Alessandra had learned to walk, each morning was a new game of hide and go seek. If they had baby lojacks, she would be an avid investor.

"I know your in here! I can hear your amusement."

"She get away from you again?"

Snow looked up to find James leaning casually in the doorway between the nursery and the playroom, a smile on his face.

"I don't think she's stood still for one moment ever since she found out how to stand on her own two feet." She blew an errant strand of hair out of her face and sighed.

James's grin only widened. "Alessie?"

A diaper-clad blur raced across the room from behind a large stuffed lion and into James's arms. She giggled as her little hands explored his face.

Snow narrowed her eyes at him. "You have the unfair advantage. They don't call you Charming for nothing you know."

"Come now Snow, Alessandra is good practice for when Emma is returned to us. You just have to learn patience. Pretty soon we'll have two daughters on our hands, and then where will you be?"

Snow knew he was right. But that didn't mean she had to like it.


	8. You're Not Alone

DISCLAIMER:: do not own though i wish i did

A/N:: sorry this took so long. i am trying to update all my stories more frequently and now that i'm back home, with my new laptop in tow, i am hoping that will be possible. hope everyone enjoys this. reviews are always appreciated.

SWAN QUEEN SWAN QUEEN SWAN QUEEN

**-Present Day, Castle of the Evil Queen, Undisclosed Location-**

After breakfast, she went back to her chambers. She bathed quickly, brushing out her hair as she examined the armoire. There were several dresses inside. She pulled a deep green one out and tilted her head as she held it up. It would do. It definitely was one of the easier ones to put on from her choices. She slipped the dress on over her head and checked her reflection in the mirror. The dress fit perfectly and brought out the subtle tinges of dark green in her sage eyes. She smiled at herself before turning and leaving the room.

Though it seemed the Queen's lands were vast, Mr. Mills had given her verbal directions to the orchards and they were easy enough to follow. About a half mile from the side entrance of the castle, the trail opened up into a beautiful, sprawling orchard of apple trees.

She walked among them, running her hands across trunks until she saw Regina. The woman was dressed in her usual array of dark colors, today a deep plum dress. Her hair was once again up and she had a basket on her arm. She was picking apples from one of the trees. She looked more at peace than Emma had ever seen her. She felt a smile tugging at her mouth. It occurred to her that this was her captor that she was observing shyly from a distance. She hadn't been here long enough to be feeling the effects of Stockholm Syndrome yet. But the only other explanation was that she had feelings for the brunette and she wasn't even sure if she could even admit that in the confines of her mind yet, let alone out loud.

She pushed away from the tree she was standing beside and out into the open. She cleared her throat.

Regina turned to her, a light in her gaze that warmed Emma to her very core.

"I met your father. He's nice."

Regina graced her with a small smile. "He hasn't had the opportunity to entertain a visitor in quite some time; he was excited to have someone other than myself to dote upon."

"It's nice, having someone act like a father. I've never had one before."

Regina regarded her softly. "You didn't have a father growing up?"

Emma shook her head. She took a few steps closer until she was under the same tree as the brunette. She reached up and plucked an apple from the tree, placing it into Regina's basket. "I didn't have a mother either; it was always just me."

"No one should have to be alone."

Emma gave a faint smile as she reached for another apple. "And yet you are."

Regina nodded sadly. "But not because I choose to be."

Emma placed another apple in the basket. "Well, you're not alone anymore. You have me."

Emma could have sworn she saw the faintest hint of a blush color the Queen's neck before it quickly retreated and she knew in that moment that she'd said exactly the right thing. She couldn't tell why, but knowing that she'd made Regina happy, even if only for a moment, pleased her.

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**-Present Day, Northbound Road Due South of the Royal Palace, (unoccupied) Enchanted Forest-**

The trek down out of the South Woods to Crowley had taken almost all their day yesterday. There were only a couple paths down into the main part of the Enchanted Forest and most of them were rather treacherous and slow going. But once they left Crowley it was a straight, and relatively flat, journey the rest of the way to the palace.

The dwarves pushed their steeds at Doc's insistence. The stranger, their "friend", had shaken him to the core. They had all expected that the Evil Queen would just kill Swan and ask questions later. It was her way after all. To know that Swan was still alive, that she had a chance… Well, they couldn't just give up on her when they knew that, how could they?

It was late evening when the white spires became visible through the tops of the trees. They had stopped only twice all day to feed and rest the steeds and stretch their small legs. Now, their hard pushing of the steeds had paid off. They were here. And, with a little luck, they might be able to save Swan.

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**-Present Day, Castle of King James and Queen Snow, (unoccupied) Enchanted Forest-**

Snow White was just walking out of the nursery after putting Alessandra down for the night when the guards came up, informing her of the dwarves arrival.

"Your Grace. The dwarves have arrived. Should we see that they are properly accepted?"

Snow White smiled and shook her head. "No, I will see to it. Thank you Thomas." She turned from the guards and made her way through halls and corridors and then out into the evening air of the central courtyard.

"Hello my friends." A smile lit her face as she took in the seven men before her. It warmed her heart to see them. "I'm glad you have come, and so quickly too."

Doc stepped forward. "My Queen, we come bearing awful news."

The smile fell from Snow's face. "Come in then. We shall go to the conference chambers and discuss it."

The men nodded her and followed her back inside.

They seated themselves around the circular conference table, staring at the two monarchs sitting at the north curve of the table.

"Now, what news have you brought us?" Snow looked around at each of her old friends in turn.

"We stumbled across a young woman in the woods on the way home from the mines. She's been staying with us while she finds a way home." Doc pushed his glasses farther up his nose.

"A way home?" Snow's face scrunched in confusion. "Surely if she was in the South Woods without a horse she's from Rockspear."

Dopey shook his head.

Doc was the one to continue. "No, she's from somewhere else entirely, possibly a different realm. We were going to have her accompany us here, but the day we received your message, she… we fear she stumbled across the path of the Evil Queen."

Snow gasped in surprise. What could the Evil Queen possibly want from a peasant girl with questionable origins? "Was she taken?"

As a collective the dwarves nodded sadly.

"It would appear no one is safe any longer. It was one thing when she was taking out royalty. It was a power move to expand her kingdom as well as obtain the pieces. But what does this girl have to do with anything?"

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**-Present Day, Castle of the Evil Queen, Undisclosed Location-**

Emma stared out from the balcony in the parlour. Trees spread off in every direction. She looked down at their canopies, like a green blanket over the land. She couldn't see anything else for miles and miles. It was nearly as beautiful as the view from the lookout had been, almost. But there was also a sort of melancholy that hung to the view, as if it confirmed the solitude Regina dwelled in. If she paused to think about this all, she began to question her sanity. How could any of this possibly be real? But yet, she truly didn't believe her imagination could conjure up something so…vivid. Her subconscious wasn't that talented. The closest she'd ever come to something this fantastic in her sleep was a weird crossover between Elvira Mistress of the Dark and My Little Ponies that she'd had after a night of some seriously heavy drinking. So, she decided that she was not going to fight it. Maybe it was a dream, or maybe it was a brain tumor, either way, she couldn't do anything more than attempt to find a way home. And what did she really have to go back to? Loneliness? Somehow, she preferred it here.

"You look so deep in thought." Regina appeared by her side, standing close, but not touching her.

Emma shrugged and offered up a small smile. "Just thinking about how shut away you are here. Is it intentional?"

Regina pursed her lips. "Unintentionally intentional."

"Can I ask you something?" Emma turned from the view to look at Regina.

The dark woman shifted under her gaze, but didn't look away as she nodded.

"What did Snow White do to you, to make you hate her so much?"

Regina took a deep breath. "She… I lost something very dear to me because of her."

"Can I ask you something else?"

Slowly Regina nodded.

"If you could change only one thing in your past, what would it be?"

Regina walked away from the balcony and into the parlour, Emma following closely on her tail.

"I'm afraid you may not like my answer Lady Swan."

Emma shrugged. "I'd still like to hear it."

Regina bit her lip. "I once saved someone's life. If I could change one thing, **only** one, I would have let that person die."

Emma's mind flashed to her near fatal fall off the cliff edge and Regina's arms wrapped around her as she'd pulled her back to safety. "Oh. Well… um, not that I'm not grateful that you haven't but you've had several opportunities to correct that particular mistake."

Regina's brow furrowed as she stared at Emma and then, very slowly, realization dawned on her features. "Oh Lady Swan, no. This was long before you." She stepped to Emma and slid long fingers under the blonde's chin, lifting her gaze. "You are quite possibly the first thing I've gotten right in some time."

Emma smiled playfully. "This is all part of some ploy to get me to fall for you, isn't it?"

Regina smirked. "That depends on if it's working."

Emma shrugged. "Perhaps. You'll just have to wait and see." She pulled away from the woman's touch. "For now, I am going to bed." She made a beeline for the brunette's bed chamber.

The other woman followed her. "Is your room inadequate Lady Swan?" Regina regarded her with a raised eyebrow.

Emma shook her head, shed her dress, and took her customary place.

"I fail to see a reason for your continued presence in my bed when we are not lovers." With a flick of her fingers, Regina was instantly in her night shift.

Emma rolled her eyes. "If that's your way of asking me to have sex with you, you're a little rusty."

"Would you like to be lovers Lady Swan?" The edge of Regina's mouth lifted in a smile. She slipped into the opposite side of the bed.

It wasn't a request, Emma could tell, just Regina's curiosity to know Emma's own desires. "Would I like to touch you inappropriately? Yes." Emma crawled across the bed until her face was inches from Regina's. "Am I going to?" Emma let one of her hands ghost across Regina's heaving chest without truly touching it. "No." She flopped back down onto her side of the bed. "Goodnight Regina."


	9. Rude Interruptions

DISCLAIMER:: do not own. just borrowing for purpose of creative expression. no profit obtained.

A/N:: i have a better idea of where i want this to go now, so updates should be more frequent for this story, if life allows it of course. this update was originally longer, but the last part got cut off and put at the beginning of the next, so apologies for the short update. hope everyone likes it. enjoy and review.

SWAN QUEEN SWAN QUEEN SWAN QUEEN

**-Present Day, Castle of the Evil Queen, Undisclosed Location-**

To say Regina was having trouble sleeping was an understatement. Whenever she closed her eyes, she saw the image of her blonde bedfellow crouched over her, her hands grazing through the empty air so close to her body that she could feel a phantom touch, though there was no physical contact. The memory kept forcing her eyes back open and she'd turn her head to look at the other woman who was sleeping so soundly.

To say Lady Swan captivated her was pointing out the obvious. This woman was an enigma; everything she should be feeling, that a normal captive _would_ be feeling, she cast aside as if she had no need of normalcy. She was quick to joke and tease, and there seemed to be a smile playing at her lips far more often than not. It was an unexpected but surprisingly delicious reprieve from the usual fear she was met with. It is empowering to know you are feared, but she found it much more empowering to know she was revered and respected. That's what Lady Swan made her feel, **revered**.

Their first little sleepover the previous night, they had both been exhausted and slept fitfully. But she noticed tonight that Lady Swan, though still sleeping soundly and quite contentedly, was slowly migrating across the mattress in her sleep. It wasn't much, maybe a foot an hour, but she came ever closer as the night wore on, until, in the hours before dawn, her body pressed against Regina's side and the brunette felt a surge of heat sail through her body.

The feral part of her brain urged her to wrest the blonde beside her awake, to take her, to claim the body and the pleasure that the woman had denied her the night before. She wanted to touch the blonde, wanted to taste her. It wasn't in her nature to stand idly by while her playthings teased her desires. But then… Lady Swan had never been a plaything, had she? If Regina believed herself still capable of love, she had no doubt that it would feel something like what she felt when she looked at the sleeping form next to her.

"Your self control is impeccable."

She was snapped out of her thoughts by a sleepy voice at her side. She looked over to see the blonde, her eyes barely open, regarding her. "What?" She reached out and fondly pushed a strand of sleep tousled hair behind an ear.

Emma yawned, but managed a shrug. "If I was you, I would have fucked me by now." The curse word lost its crudeness when spoken so softly, and a minute after she uttered the words, the blonde had fallen into a dream state once more.

Regina stared at her. Did that mean she had _wanted_ Regina to demand access to her body? It surely sounded that way. Was this just another challenge? Just like the one that had earned her access to Regina's bed in the first place? Yes, Lady Swan was quite unexpected.

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**-Present Day, Castle of King James and Queen Snow White, (unoccupied) Enchanted Forest-**

They all gathered in the meeting chamber. The room was crowded, but everyone needed to be here for this. They'd all need to be on the same page if they were to win this. All separate attempts to thwart the Evil Queen had failed miserably. But now there was too much at stake for there to be failure.

"The Evil Queen has gone too far this time!" Snow slapped her hand down on the stone table and despite the thickness of the rock, the impact still sent a resounding thud through the room, as if it recognized the importance of what they were doing here. "She has kidnapped a woman of the common folk, a woman who did nothing to provoke attack. Where will she stop? We can allow this to go no further!"

"But how can we ever hope to challenge her?" Red stared at the Queen from her place at the table. "We have tried countless times to overtake her. Cinderella sent the entirety of her army. The Evil Queen scattered their bodies the whole was back to the castle, where she murdered Cinderella."

The were murmurs of agreement all over the entire room. Everyone knew that the Evil Queen had slowly but surely been removing the royals from power, one by one. Jasmine, Cinderella, Ariel… all had found their ends at the hand of the dark woman.

"So, would you expect us all to just turn our backs on the destruction she's wrought? Are we to wait for her to seek us out? Come now, friends, do not tell us you have already consigned yourself to death." James put an arm around his wife's shoulders.

"We have something on the Evil Queen. It is the reason she has not attacked us directly. I'd like to share it with you all now. With the power of the pieces, we may have the advantage on the battlefield." Snow White looked at each of the people around the table, finally ready to tell them the truth.

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**-Present Day, Castle of the Evil Queen, Undisclosed Location-**

The guard showed her into a large office like room. There was a desk to one side with a chair, books lined several bookshelves and medieval-esque art hung on the blank walls. As in every room she'd been in so far, there was a mirror in this one as well, near the desk. In the center of the room was a large, carved wooden table, oddly enough it was devoid of any chairs. This was where she found Regina standing.

"You called."

The edge of Regina's mouth turned up in a pleased smile. "You answered." She held out a hand and beckoned the blonde. "Come."

Lady Swan didn't hesitate, which pleased the Queen immensely, and crossed the room to her side.

With a flick of her wrist the flat, smooth surface of the table began to shift and distort, rising in some places, falling in others. The whole process took less than a minute, but once the magic had dissipated, the blonde was staring in wonder at the new surface of the table, made to look like a three dimensional map.

"This is amazing."

Regina smiled. "Where you're from, magic is obviously not common place."

Emma shook her head, unable to tear her eyes away from the map. "No, it's not. Not like this." Finally she turned back to the woman who everyone called the Evil Queen. She reached out, placing her hands on the older woman's hips, sliding them up her sides, over the tight satin bodice, up to her shoulders and back down her arms. She was about to pull her hands away when the dark woman's hands caught her wrists, drawing the blonde's hands back to her hips. She held them there for several moments indicating she wanted them to stay there and then finally let her grip on her wrists loosen. Emma easily got the hint, caressing the smooth satin beneath her fingers. Regina wanted contact, and for now, Emma was willing to relent. She glanced over her shoulder to the map. "So what brought all that on?"

Regina looked at the table. "That is a map of the entire Enchanted Forest, to scale of course. I thought maybe we could find your home."

Emma closed her eyes to make sure she had time to disguise the hurt before she met Regina's gaze with the playful glint she'd had since arriving here. "Are you so eager to get rid of me?"

Regina shook her head, her face completely serious. "On the contrary Lady Swan, the more time I spend in your company, the more I find I want to keep you forever." Her voice lowered to just above a whisper. "You fascinate me."

Emma leaned up, her lips barely grazing the older woman's jaw. "Is that so?"

Regina nodded, her eyes fluttering shut at the heated contact, however brief, of the other woman's mouth.

Emma pulled back, keeping her left hand on the Queen's hip, but removing her right. The Evil Queen wore tight black leather trousers and a jacket that was low cut at the bust and had a corset like emphasis, pushing her chest up and leaving the tops of her breasts exposed to the public eye. Emma had a feeling most all Regina's clothes were meant to seduce and they certainly achieved their goal. Her right hand reached up and stroked the flesh exposed to her.

Regina gazed at the blonde woman reverently stroking the tops of her breasts. "Lady Swan?"

"Hmm?" The blonde met her gaze but didn't stop the soft brush of her fingers across sensitized flesh. "Are you ready to give in then?"

Regina's eyes fell closed. "Give in?"

The younger woman smirked. "To me." She made to replace her fingers with her lips when someone clearing their throat gave her pause. Her hands pulled from the brunette so fast that she fell back against the table, but when she turned to see who had caught them, there was no one there.

"This had better be good!" Regina's voice was a lethal growl.

"It's is my Queen. I have the information you requested earlier."

Emma tried to contain her gasp when she finally realized who was speaking, or rather, what was speaking. It was the mirror by the desk. Where once its surface had merely reflected the room back at her, now it was clouded over and the face of a man stared out at them.

"Lady Swan?"

Emma turned her attention back to Regina.

"I have some business to attend to. It should be brief. Will you take a walk with me when I have finished?"

The blonde nodded. "I'll be in my chambers." She headed for the door, glaring at the mirror as she passed.

Regina wasn't sure, but she almost thought she heard the departing blonde whisper _'cockblock'_ under her breath as she exited the room.


	10. Death For Milk

DISCLAIMER:: do not own. just borrowing for purpose of creative expression. no profit obtained.

A/N:: i am especially sorry the update took so long on this story because it's hard to follow and twists a lot, jumping worlds and times, so i deeply apologize. i post updates as i write them, i swear. just been a busy month. i'm hoping to finish this story before my trip but making no promises. enjoy and review.

SWAN QUEEN SWAN QUEEN SWAN QUEEN

**-9 Years Ago, Tallahassee, Florida-**

She stared at her reflection in the bathroom mirror of their measly little shack of a flat, amazed at how much this place had changed her. She hadn't aged of course, but she looked tired. Her time here had weighed on her. Florida, just like Arizona, reminded her of home. Well as much as any place could remind her of home. She wasn't sure why she'd agreed to this. At the time it had seemed like the right thing to do, and she'd be lying if she said she hadn't had a good life so far with Emma. The girl had vitality in her despite the circumstances that had forced her into this life she was leading.

They were right on schedule. It wouldn't be long now. Not long at all before they would go home. Back to the Enchanted Forest. Losing the boy hadn't been part of the plan at all. He had been meant to live, but there was nothing she could do about that now. They just had to keep pushing forward.

She walked out of the bathroom, flipping off the light.

"Hey, do you think you could run to that convenience store down on the corner?" Emma poked her head out of their small excuse for a kitchen.

Carmen shrugged. "Sure, what do you need?" She had nothing better to do with her night and it was better than staying in and looking forward to yet another night of sandwiches and soup. Why didn't group homes teach you basic skills like cooking? Why didn't fathers? She thought of her life before meeting Emma and how her father had never made a meal for her, or himself for that matter, her entire life.

"We need milk. I used the last of it this morning. There should be some cash in the laundry jar. Just take it out of there and I'll wash the clothes in the sink again this week."

She nodded and went to the jar they reserved for quarters for the Laundromat. Inside was nearly six dollars. She took three of it. That way they'd still have enough to run one load of laundry. Nothing against Emma and her hand washing, but the soap she used always made Carmen's skin feel itchy. She slipped the twelve quarters into the pocket of her denim shorts. "I'll be back."

"Thanks Carmen. I owe you."

"Yeah yeah."

It didn't take long to get to the convenience store at the end of their block. It was a little run down used-to-be gas station called Curtis Concessions. There were iron bars over all the windows except for the door. The building may have been white once, but it had clouded over to a nasty grey-brown. If it wasn't for the fact that the next place to get milk was over a mile away, she wouldn't of even bothered with the place. But it served their minimal needs well enough.

She pushed through the door and cringed as the bell over it announced her arrival. The man behind the counter, a thirty-something white guy with an afro of brown curls, held up a hand in greeting before returning his focus to the comic book in his hands.

"Hey Curtis." She headed to the back corner where the refrigerated stuff was kept in several glass refrigerated cabinets. She grabbed a gallon of milk and was about to take it up to Curtis when two things happened right on top of each other, almost as if they were preordained. As the glass door swing closed, she saw the reflection of someone she had hoped to never see again.

The dark haired witch smiled cruelly at her with ruby red lips. _No_, how had she found her? They had assured her she'd be safe here. She took a step back from the glass, shaking her head, a horrified expression on her face.

_Hello Princess_. The voice echoed around her head. _Thought you'd be safe in another world did you? I told you… I **always** find my mark._

Carmen backed up, continuing to shake her head. She turned and ran for the door, dropping the gallon of milk, the jug splitting open on the ground, white liquid bubbling from the break.

A man in a hooded sweatshirt stepped through the door. He saw her running frantically at him and panicked. He lifted his hand out of his pocket, gun clutched firmly in his grip. He pulled the trigger.

Carmen fell backward, the hole in her neck leaking copious amounts of crimson. She hit the floor, a pool of red liquid spreading across the floor until it met with the white milk, infecting it and turning the white liquid a tomato-ish orange-red.

And the last thought Princess Jasmine had before she died was: _Run Emma. Run._

SWAN QUEEN SWAN QUEEN SWAN QUEEN

**-Present Day, Castle of the Evil Queen, Undiclosed Location-**

Emma sat bolt upright in bed at the knocking. She hadn't realized she'd dozed off. She threw her legs off the bed and went to the bed chamber's door, unlocking it and throwing it open. Her face was in Regina's hands in a moment.

"Who **hurt** you?" The Queen's head whipped back and forth, her body tensed, ready for an attack that didn't come.

Emma shook her head. "I am fine Regina."

Regina met her eyes, her hands, still desperately clutched at each side of her face, were trembling slightly, and Emma was amazed at the concern her eyes held. "You were screaming. He heard you from the mirror in the parlour and came to tell me. There's no mirror in here, so he couldn't see what was happening. You locked the door…"

Emma frowned, her hands coming up to cover Regina's. "I intended to freshen up before our walk and I must have fallen asleep. I was having a nightmare."

"The door is protected against magic. I couldn't get in."

"Hey…" Emma pulled Regina's hands away from her face and then pulled her into a hug. "I'm alright."

Finally, in her embrace, Regina seemed to relax. Slowly her arms came around the blonde and she hugged her back.

SWAN QUEEN SWAN QUEEN SWAN QUEEN

**-9 Years Ago, Tallhassee, Florida-**

Emma was cursing Carmen's name under her breath when she heard the first siren. She heard them all the time in this neighbourhood. They weren't exactly living the glamourous life on Park Avenue here. But then the first was joined by a second, a third, a fourth. Once she heard the sixth, she grabbed her jacket and keys and left the small apartment to check out what was happening.

Lupe, their downstairs neighbour was out in front of her apartment, staring down the street. Emma walked over to her. "What's all the fuss about?"

Lupe shrugged. "Seems there was a robbery at the convenience store down the street again. That's where all the cops are parked."

Emma paled, her breath catching in her throat. _Carmen_.

Lupe frowned and put a hand on her shoulder. "Emma, are you okay?"

Emma looked at Lupe slowly, not really seeing her. And then, she took off running towards the sirens and the convenience store.

There was tape set up around the perimeter, but that hadn't stopped a group of onlookers from forming. She pushed to the front of the crowd, squinting to see in through the front windows. Whatever had happened in the small store was over with. Uniforms were everywhere and some men were loading a body into a body bag by the front counter. And then she saw the second bag. A man and woman were lifting the lifeless body into the black bag.

Somehow it seemed a dream. Emma felt like she was watching an episode of CSI. This _couldn't_ be real. She ducked under the police tape. She heard shouts for her to stop, but she ignored them, running for the store. She was less than five feet from the door when strong arms caught her. She fought against the hold, kicking and screaming.

"That's my roommate! Let me go you asshole! That's my roommate!"

SWAN QUEEN SWAN QUEEN SWAN QUEEN

**-Present Day, Evil Queen's Apple Orchard, Undisclosed Location-**

Emma had never felt so content to be in someone's company before. But Regina had a calming effect on her. They had been strolling silently through the apple orchard for over half an hour, hand in hand. She knew her nightmare had freaked Regina out. It was obvious that the older woman had been alone for so long that she was socially awkward and off-putting, but Emma didn't mind, so was she.

"Lady Swan?"

"Hmm?"

"Your friends, the ones who you were staying with, they've reached the palace. Things might be changed soon, and there may come a day in the near future where you need to pick a side."

Emma glanced at the older woman and raised an eyebrow. "You want to know which side I'll choose?"

Regina gave a short nod.

Emma tilted her head thoughtfully. "Well, I've never met the King and Queen, but… I rather like it here…" She smiled at Regina. "With you." She shrugged, a slight blush colouring her neck. "Besides, I'm still not convinced this isn't some really elaborate dream."

Regina chuckled, halting their progress and pulling Emma into her arms. "If this is a dream, shouldn't we make it good?" She raised an eyebrow, a smirk playing across her lips.

Emma shrugged, feigning nonchalance. "I guess." She grinned. "What'd you have in mind?"

Regina didn't hesitate to lean in, softly bringing their lips together.

Emma slowly deepened the kiss and all around them, the apple blossoms bloomed just a little more.


	11. Car Rides And Thigh Rides

DISCLAIMER:: do not own. just borrowing for purpose of creative expression. no profit obtained.

A/N:: so forgot about this. my laptop is rigged to give me reminders and it didn't for this story so i apologise. anyhoo... the ratings been bumped up to M as sexy times are now contained herein. i really think i'm getting better at them, thanks to dreamscape. so i'm giving my imagination an honourary lesbian card for all the lesbian sex it's participating in for the sake of my stories.

SWAN QUEEN SWAN QUEEN SWAN QUEEN

**-9 Years Ago, Passenger Seat of a Truck, Somewhere in Texas-**

"So, what you running from kid?"

Emma looked over at the truck driver beside her, before her gaze flipped back to the window. There was no scenery beyond the glass for her to focus on, just black night. She hadn't seen much since they'd left Shreveport. But she couldn't find it in her to be scared of the possible consequences hitchhiking presented. The truck driver had been leaving Atlanta and that was good enough for her. "Does it matter?"

The driver, a man in his mid-forties with a mustache and messy brown hair hidden underneath a trucker hat, had introduced himself as Dale. He wore a blue flannel shirt and well worn Levi's, both that he'd probably been wearing for the past decade. He reminded her a little of Jeff Foxworthy and she briefly wondered if they were related somehow. Wasn't he always talking about having a lot of family? And he was from Georgia too if she remembered correctly. Maybe it **was** Jeff Foxworthy.

"It's none of my business, but we have a ways to go yet. Sometimes it's nice to let it out."

Emma frowned at the window. What could it hurt? Once they reached El Paso, she'd never have to see Dale again. "My best friend, my _only_ friend, died three months ago."

"I'm sorry."

Emma nodded. That was the go to response, wasn't it? Everyone was sorry. What... was it some pre-programmed response that was implanted in every human at birth? She was so tired of hearing apologies. But Dale didn't know that, he couldn't know that. So she swallowed her frustration, letting it retreat back below the surface. "I sent her out to get some milk. It could have waited until morning. It really wasn't that important. I just had to send her out. And now all I have left of her is a stupid blue broach. She loved that thing. It was nothing really, costume jewelry and gaudy as hell, but she loved it. It was a present from her mother when she was still alive. It's the only thing she insisted I keep if anything were to ever happen to her." It was all Carmen had left of her mother, a woman she only talked about rarely and with such reverence. He mother had died when she was still a toddler, leaving her in her father's loving but, often times, incapable hands. Apparently he had an important job, some business suit executive type and his advisor was in his ear too much. She had only ever talked about the advisor with complete and utter disgust.

"So, why are you going to El Paso? Trying to get back to your family?"

Emma chuckled dryly. "No, definitely not. I think I like the idea of going to California. I hear the weather's nice out there and I've always wanted to learn how to surf. So that's where I'm heading." Her hand went to the swan pendant hanging from the chain around her throat. She'd had it on her when they found her. That and a baby blanket with her first name embroidered on it. Her only two clues as to her origins and how they'd named her. Emma had been the name embroidered on the blanket and Swan for the pendant. Emma Swan. Over the years she had alternated between despising that name for what it was and clinging to it desperately for the same reasons.

Her parents… she'd thought about them constantly throughout her young childhood. They must have had to give her up. That had to be it, right? Why else would they leave her with a solid gold (she'd had it appraised once) pendant and a blanket with her name on it. If her mother was just some random coke whore who got knocked up and needed to ditch her mistake, wouldn't she have just been left on some church steps in a grocery bag or something? Why go to the trouble of naming her if she was just going to toss her out with the trash? No, her mother had to give her up, of that she was sure. The only question was… why?

SWAN QUEEN SWAN QUEEN SWAN QUEEN

**-Present Day, Castle of the Evil Queen, Undisclosed Location-**

Emma Swan had spent most of her school days in and out of trouble. She'd always been opinionated, loud, and brash, a lethal combination in most teachers' minds. They had no patience for them just as she had none for authority. It had led to a keen familiarity with the inner workings of the headmaster's office. She had been in there so often during high school that she had been on a first name basis with his secretary… and him for that matter, though that was more to annoy him than anything. So she'd skipped the dazed schoolgirl crush phase, where she would write Mrs. _Insert Random Classmate's Last Name Here_ all over her notebooks and spend class daydreaming about kissing said classmate. She'd never really had a crush on anyone, not even Henry's father… until now.

She wasn't quite sure she'd ever get used to the feeling of Regina's magical smoke swirl teleportation thing. She turned to the bed chamber door and opened it. Because of the magical protection on it, they hadn't been able to poof directly inside. She looked over her shoulder as the door slammed behind her. Regina was leaning against the closed door. Her chest was heaving as she sucked in air, her eyes trained on Emma with a look of pure lust. All of a sudden, her corset seemed impossibly tighter, with every breath she took it seemed as if her ample cleavage was about to burst forth from the top.

Emma turned and stepped forward, leaning down and alternating between sucking and biting the creamy flesh protruding from the top of the corset, flesh that she had been stroking only hours earlier when the mirror had interrupted them. No matter, there were no mirrors in here, no way to be interrupted. Her hands slid across the satin fabric of the Queen's jacket. She had no idea how in the hell she'd even begin to go about getting Regina out of her clothes… were they painted on?

As if hearing her thoughts, or more likely just eager for more contact, the Evil Queen waved a hand and her clothes dissipated. Emma felt herself free from the burden of her own dress as well. She pulled back a couple feet and for a moment, both women observed each other, studying the soft heaviness of full breasts, the flare of hips away from the narrow taper of waists.

Regina's skin was flawless, even and toned. She could spend hours mapping out the smooth tan expanse of it with her hands and mouth. Her breasts were smaller than Emma's own, but full and round, flushed slightly on top from where Emma had been sucking and biting at them. The tantalizing apex of her thighs…. Her fingers tingled, ever so silently encouraging the blonde to reach out and touch the body before her, to prove that something so perfect was truly being offered up for their exploration and consumption.

Emma's own body was hardly something to balk at. Regina had never looked on anything more pleasing in her life. She'd had body slaves attend to her needs countless times over her reign, but it had always been about being pleased. They were a blur of faces hovering, below her as she rode them if they were male or, more often they were female and their faces had been downcast as their hands had stumbled through exploring between her legs. She had rarely demanded access to any of their bodies and if she had, she had never wasted time exploring it with just her eyes. But Lady Swan's body was an entirely different story. It was an exquisite battle map of scars and stories of all she had endured. She wanted to run her hands across them, then her tongue; she endeavoured to know all that had brought each mark, each mar of delicious flesh, into being, some more than others. She had never wanted to understand someone, **all** of someone, so much. It should frighten her after all she'd been through, after all she'd _lost_. But she was no longer the girl she'd been when she'd lost Daniel. She was stronger now, more capable of keeping and protecting what was hers. And Lady Swan _wanted_ to be hers. She had chosen **her**, over them, dark over light.

Emma held out her hand for Regina's and the brunette offered hers freely. Emma grasped her wrist softly and kissed the fingertips of the hand, one by one. She dragged the hand down of the fluttering flesh of her throat and then lower still, over the two necklaces she always wore, one with a swan pendant, the other with a large blue stone of some sort, the metal seeming to pulse under Regina's fingers as they scraped over it, and finally down onto the firm softness of one of her full breasts.

Regina took it from there, stepping away from the door as her hand gently squeezed the flesh under it. Her thumb stroked across a pink nipple, bringing it to blushing awareness. Her other hand found the twin and gave it the same attention. She pressed their bodies together, trapping her groping hands between them as they continued at their task, and gently used the press of her body to push the blonde back to the bed.

When the back of Emma's legs hit the mattress, she sunk backward upon it, her hands gripping Regina's hips and bringing the brunette with her. She guided the brunette's body up until she was lying on the pillows and comfortably situated and then crawled over her, straddling her hips.

Regina groaned as their cores rocked against each other.

Emma smirked and rocked into her a few more times, causing both their eyes to flutter shut. Finally the blonde stopped in favour of leaning down and catching one the darker woman's breasts with her mouth. She sucked the hard nipple into her mouth, lavishing it with the attention of her tongue, nibbling softly every so often to elicit a moan from the woman beneath her. She showered the other side with equal affection, feasting on their fullness until she had the brunette writhing beneath her.

Regina's right hand slipped into blonde locks and tugged gently, directing the blonde's mouth back up to hers, where she claimed it fiercely.

Emma readjusted her body until she had only one of Regina's thighs firmly between her own, so she could spread her legs. Emma's tongue continued to fight for dominance over the other in the brunette's mouth as her left hand skidded down past the brunette's stomach to the source of her need. She urged her thighs apart, stroking softly down the inside of the one not currently in a death grip between her own with the backs of her fingers. Then her hand slid between the brunette's folds, sampling her wetness, and Regina gasped into the hard embrace of Emma's mouth, shocked into giving the blonde's tongue unrestricted access, which she took full advantage of, massaging the brunette's with her own. Emma's fingers continued to agonizingly slide up and down her length. She pulled away from their kiss enough to look lustily into the eyes of her lover, brown darkened to near coal black with desire. "Baby, you're so wet." She claimed the kiss swollen lips beneath hers once more, kissing her deeply, as she slid two fingers into Regina.

Regina arched to meet the thrust. She'd never felt _anything_ like this. Her body slaves had done well enough, they were competent, but they'd always brought her to climax with a sense of duty, for it was their job. In comparison Lady Swan was _praising_ Regina's body with her actions. She stroked inside her with no sense of urgency, just a desire to give her what she needed. She could feel the pooling of the blonde's own need gathering on her thigh. She reached out her hands and grasped the blonde's hips, grinding the woman's core down against her thigh.

Now it was Emma's turn to gasp into the mouth beneath hers. Now that Regina had reminded her of her own needs, she began to ride the thigh pressed firmly between her legs, building up a delicious friction with the aide of the hands on her hips assisting her as her own skilled fingers continued their ministrations inside the brunette.

Regina's head fell back as she moaned appreciatively. "Oh, Lady Swan, yes."

Emma frowned, biting her bottom lip. She kissed the jaw of the woman beneath her as she picked up the pace of her fingers. "Call me by my first name?"

Regina could hardly maintain focus for all the blonde's movements inside of her, right there balanced on the precarious edge before falling into complete bliss, but her brain registered the comment. "Your first name?"

The blonde nodded, her head falling back on her neck as the pace of her hips finally caught the perfect amount of friction and she could feel her orgasm building. She pressed a kiss to Regina's lips, her jaw, her cheek. "Emma. My name is Emma."

They came right then, together.

"Regina!"

"_Emma_."


End file.
